Asian Games: What went wrong for Manu Bhaker?

• Manu Bhaker finishes without a medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
• She missed podiums in four events due to sub-par scores and competition.
• Her father cited poor venue conditions and technical issues for the loss.

Hopes were pinned on star shooter Manu Bhaker to bring home individual glory from the Asian Games 2026. When she returned without a single medal after four events, the nation asked why. Let's unpack the complex factors behind the results.

The Weight of Expectation

Manu Bhaker arrived in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, not just as an athlete, but as a titan of Indian shooting and a double Olympic medallist. After a stellar performance at the Paris Olympics and strong showings at recent World Cups, she was one of India's biggest medal contenders. This level of success creates immense pressure. Every time Bhaker steps into the range, she carries the hopes of a billion people. While this support is a powerful motivator, the sheer weight of expectation can be a heavy burden in a sport where millimetres and milliseconds separate victory from defeat. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, acknowledged this, stating that Manu has set a "very high standard and expectation for the Indian fans."

A Campaign of Near Misses

Bhaker's campaign was a story of 'almosts'. Across four events—the 10m air pistol individual and team, and the 25m pistol individual and team—a medal remained just out of reach. In the 10m air pistol individual final, she qualified strongly in third place but ultimately finished fifth. The team event was even closer, with India finishing fourth. The 25m pistol events brought more frustration. Despite her world-class credentials, she finished 11th in the individual qualification with a score of 579, missing the cut for the final. The Indian team, comprising Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Rahi Sarnobat, finished fifth in the team competition. For an athlete of her calibre, a campaign without a single podium finish was an unexpected and disappointing outcome.

Sub-Par Scores and Stiff Competition

At the highest level of sport, there is no room for error. Ultimately, Bhaker’s scores were not high enough to secure a medal. Her father noted that her score in the 25m pistol qualification was below what is typically required to be in contention. While Bhaker was struggling to find her peak form, her competitors were firing on all cylinders. In the 25m pistol final that she missed, teammate Esha Singh won a dramatic silver medal after a record-equalling score and a series of tense shoot-offs against China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan. This highlights the incredible depth of talent in Asian shooting; even a slight dip in performance can push a top contender out of the medal bracket when others are breaking records.

Questions Around Conditions

Beyond individual performance, external factors may have also played a part. Manu Bhaker's father raised concerns about the organisation and conditions at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. He pointed to long travel times between the athletes' village and the shooting range, inconvenient bus schedules, and even unpleasant odours near the venue. While every athlete faces the same conditions, such issues can disrupt the meticulous physical and mental preparation required for a precision sport. Additionally, a crucial moment in the women's 25m pistol team event saw a shot from teammate Rahi Sarnobat not register, which proved costly for the team's medal chances. Sarnobat herself called the incident a first in her career, suggesting a potential technical glitch may have impacted the team's final standing.